Independence Day

It is customary this holiday week to remind ourselves why the American colonies declared their independence from Britain some 240 years ago. The Declaration of Independence provides the answer in the form a list of tyrannical acts attributed to King George III. Among their grievances, the authors cited the "swarms of Officers" that the King sent out to harass and steal from them, the creation of "arbitrary government" for the purpose of imposing "absolute rule" and the imposition of taxes withou

It is customary this holiday week to remind ourselves why the American colonies declared their independence from Britain some 240 years ago. The Declaration of Independence provides the answer in the form a list of tyrannical acts attributed to King George III. Among their grievances, the authors cited the "swarms of Officers" that the King sent out to harass and steal from them, the creation of "arbitrary government" for the purpose of imposing "absolute rule" and the imposition of taxes withou…